As a doctor who treats concussions and a lifelong fan, I now believe pro football is unethical

The Washington Post ^ | January 16, 2016 | Joseph A. Annibali

[MinorityRepublican]

Have you noticed just how violent professional football is? Does it strike you as odd that so many are excited about a game in which players are knocked senseless and many are maimed?

The players strike each other with such force that the collision sounds can be heard high in the stands and on TV. The quarterback position is acknowledged as the most important, but rare is the quarterback who is able to play a whole season without significant injuries.

More important than the broken clavicles, the shoulder dislocations, and even the gruesome orthopedic disasters like the career-ending injury of star quarterback Joe Theisman, are the injuries to the brain. Yes, to the brain.

It is now crystal clear that high speed collisions even when protected by a helmet and other gear that would make a gladiator proud do very bad things to the brain. The recent Concussion movie helped bring the hard facts of traumatic brain injuries in football to the forefront.

[donna]

What about boxing?

[catfish1957]

Thiesman’s leg break during a game, is maybe the most cringe-worthy live TV moment I can ever remember.

[TontoKowalski]

While I certainly don't think that government intervention is required, there has been a lot of research done on the long term damage of repeated concussions. The NFL has, I think, a responsibility to the players to take some sort of common sense steps towards prevention of protection of the players.

I say the NFL, but in Tennessee it seems like we have a high school player who is killed or crippled every year. It is heartbreaking.

As for boxing, one only has to look at Ali and a couple of others to have a sense of the long term damage that can do.

[dr_lew]

At some point, very long ago, the early 1950's probably, in the big universities alumni, fans and schools lost the plot and as you say started hiring gladiators.

I always thought the Marx Brothers movie, HORSE FEATHERS, gave an interesting angle on the way players were regarded in the era of the 1930's. Namely as ruffians or even gangsters. This was as depicted in one or a few scenes of "off the field" encounters with them.

Consider also the Purdue nickname of Boilermakers. As I understand it, this was due to the suspicion, or conviction, that some of the players were semi-pro "ringers", the nickname itself indicating that they were factory workers.

Well, that's a far cry from the big money machine of college football today, but I just mean to say it's never been "pure sport".

[a fool in paradise]

He should weigh in on the health impact of man-on-man sexual relations.

Some ‘choices’ are protected and promoted while others with a tradition in this country are being challenged and vetoed.

[napscoordinator]

Not only that but if he thinks football is unethical, I shutter to think what he believes the military is.

[a fool in paradise]

Police get ‘roided up too but it never reaches a national debate in the media or congress.

[bluejean]

Maybe just like in NASCAR, which has done some really great things like the Hans Device (sp?) and safer barriers and such - the NFL needs to spend some serious bucks on the science of armoring these guys up - or dial it back (flag football would be SO boring though). I love football but am also concerned about the hits and the injuries.

[Tai_Chung]

Working the coal mines are dangerous
Working as a taxi driver is dangerous
Working as a policeman or fireman is dangerous
Working as a doctor is dangerous
Working as a soldier is dangerous
Working on the oil rigs are dangerous

I guess Obama really cares because he has been getting rid of all our jobs!

[dfwgator]

Agree on the leather helmets and less padding, that will force players to have proper tackling technique.

I would also consider imposing weight limits on players, no more than 250 pounds. That was the average weight of an offensive lineman in the 1970s, again it would put more emphasis on having good blocking technique than sheer bulk.

[UCANSEE2]

[reagandemocrat]

Make them play both ways. No substitutions.

[grey_whiskers]

I don't see a way to reform it into a game for real students after so many decades.

1. Remove all athletic scholarships and "boosters".

2. Replace the current "college football" with low-paid, but professional minor league football franchises.

3. /sarc> Sow the college football fields with landlines /sarc> <-- players are *already* getting injured...

[MCF]

“The most complete data series on fatalities comes from the USA. From the 1991/92 to the 2003/04 season inclusive, a total of 469 traumatic deaths have been recorded within the boundaries of ski resorts in the US”
http://www.ski-injury.com/intro
But skiing is something the “Elite” do so injuries and deaths from it will not get talked about like football.

[lacrew]

Tim Krumrie’s leg spinning around in the air like a pinwheel makes me wince.

[Ken H]

[lacrew]

I think the field could be used to slow the players down. Baseball fields are made from the same artificial turf and rubber pellets as football fields...but sand is added because the ball bounces unaturally fast on plain rubber. I’ve always thought the same sand could be added to the rubber. For natural turf - longer grass.

[truth_seeker]

So many sports have upped the “extreme” sport factor almost every passing year.

Skiing, ski jumping, downhill mountain biking, to name a few rather benign ones with out body contact.

Tow in surging 70 ft. waves. 100 ft. waves.

[doorgunner69]

Then go take every Wednesday off and play golf, you will be safe there.

[Mastador1]

They have a concussion problem in soccer also but I haven’t heard for calls for it to end..............yet. And good thing because those soccer fans make American football fans look like pansies.